Product Development Manager

About the Role

Annie International is seeking a creative and highly organized Product Development Manager to join its growing Beauty & Personal Care business. This position will manage new product development from market research and concept creation through product evaluation, packaging, costing, production, and launch. The role will work directly with domestic and international manufacturers, suppliers, and internal business functions to develop innovative and commercially viable products that meet consumer needs and company objectives. The ideal candidate combines strong beauty-market awareness with hands-on product development and project-management experience. This is an individual-contributor role with ownership of assigned projects, supplier communication, costs, timelines, and commercialization activities. The final position level will be determined based on the selected candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage beauty and personal-care product development projects from concept through commercialization and launch.
• Research market trends, consumer needs, competitive brands, ingredients, technologies, product formats, and packaging innovations.
• Identify market opportunities and translate insights into differentiated, commercially viable product concepts and development briefs.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking, product evaluations, testing, pricing reviews, and category analysis.
• Work directly with domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers to develop products, packaging, components, artwork, specifications, and production requirements.
• Review product samples and supplier submissions, provide clear feedback, and coordinate revisions and approvals throughout the development process.
• Manage project timelines, milestones, costs, minimum order quantities, lead times, margins, documentation, and launch readiness.
• Negotiate with suppliers and identify opportunities to improve product quality, cost, value, and profitability.
• Partner with Sales, purchasing, operations, design, company leadership, and external resources as needed to support product development, customer presentations, and commercialization.
• Monitor product and market performance after launch and recommend product improvements, line extensions, and future innovation opportunities.
• Support additional new business development and product-related initiatives as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree
• Equivalent relevant professional experience may be considered in place of a specific degree.

Professional Experience

• Approximately 2–8 years of relevant experience in beauty, personal care, consumer products, product development, sourcing, merchandising, or a related field.
• Experience working with domestic or international manufacturers, contract manufacturers, packaging suppliers, component vendors, or sourcing partners.
• Prior experience developing beauty or personal-care products is strongly preferred.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Professional fluency in both English and Korean is required.
• Strong understanding of product development processes from concept through commercialization.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, suppliers, timelines, samples, and priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and commercial judgment when evaluating product performance, packaging, costs, margins, and market feasibility.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other standard business applications.
• Resourceful, collaborative, and adaptable, with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing products for Beauty Supply Stores or multicultural beauty consumers.
• Experience with mass retail, specialty beauty, drug, e-commerce, marketplace, or other consumer retail channels.
• Knowledge of textured hair, protective styling, multicultural and inclusive beauty, K-beauty innovation, or accessible mass-market beauty products.

Benefits

Benefits may include, subject to eligibility and applicable company policies:

• Premium medical insurance coverage
• 401(k) savings plan
• Paid time off
• Paid company holidays
• Annual bonus opportunity
• Employee product discounts
• Relocation assistance for eligible new hires
• Immigration and visa sponsorship support for eligible positions and candidates